Wire straightener



Feb. 9, 1932.

C. D. JOHNSON I WIRE STRAIGHTENER F iled June 3, 1951 llll YHwMK 41% Patented Feb. 9, 1932 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES D. JOHNSON, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T JOHNSON STEEL & WIRE COMPANY, INC., OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS Application filed. June 3,

This invention relates to wire-straightening devices of the rotary type and has for its object to provide a rotary wire straightener with novel means for rotating the sleeves carrying the wire-bending blocks.

In accordance with my. invention each sleeve is driven from a rotary motor of some suitable type which is mounted directly on the sleeve instead of being driven through belts or gears as is the common practise.

In order to give an understanding of the invention I have illustrated in the drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a view of a wire-straightening machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the wire-straightening feature;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view through the motor. V

In the drawings 1 and 2 indicate the two axially-aligned rotary sleeves of the wire straightener. These sleeves are mounted in bearings carried by a suitable supporting frame 3. Thisframe is illustrated as provid ed with a base portion 4: adapted to be secured to a table or other suitable support 5,

which base member has two end bearings 6 and 7 and a center bearing 8. The rotary sleeve 1 is journalled in the end bearing 6 and also finds bearing in the center bearing 8. The other sleeve 2 is mounted in the bearing 7 and its inner end also finds bearing in the center bearing 8. Each sleeve is formed with an axial bore 9 through which the wire 10 to be straightened is passed. Each sleeve is also provided with a diametrical slot 11 in which is received the usual wire-bending or wire-deflecting blocks 12 and 13, these blocks being retained in the slot by a retaining sleeve 14 which isjslidably mounted on the rotary sleeve.

One block 13 is formed with the curved projection 15 and the other block is formed with the recess 16 in which the projection 15 is received.

As the wire is drawn through the rotary sleeve it passes around and is deflected or WIRE STRAIGHTENEB 1931. Serial-No. 541,820.

bent by the projection 15 and the rapid rotation of the sleeve while the wire is drawn therethrough and acted on by the blocks'12, 13 serves tostraighten the wire andtake out any kinks therein as will be understood from those familiar with wire-straightening devlces.

Each rotary sleeve carries a pair of these wiresbending blocks and the two sleeves 1 and 2 are rotated in oppositedirections, this being the. usual practise in rotary wire straighteners of this type.

My present invention relates particularly to the means for rotating the sleeves 1 and 2. This is accomplished by means of a rotary motor of some suitable type in which the rotor element is mounted directly on the sleeve to be rotated thereby eliminating the use of belts or gears for rotating the sleeve. While any suitable type of rotary motor may be used for this purpose I prefer to use an electric motor and in the drawings I have shown twoelectric motors 17 and 18, one for each of the sleeves 1 and 2. Each motor comprises the usual rotor element 19 andstator element 20. The rotor element of the motor is mounted directly on and is rigid withthe sleeve to be rotated so that said sleeve forms in effect the shaft of the motor. The stator element 20 is rigidly secured to the frame 3 and as hereinshown each stator element is secured to the outer face of one of the end bearings 6 or 7. The rotor and stator elements of the motor may have any approved construction which it is not necessary to illustrate in detail herein as the manner of winding these elements and their constructional details may follow any approved practice employed in the building of electric motors."

By having the rotor of the motor mounted directly on the sleeve to be rotated the torque or turning force will be evenly applied to the sleeve without any side thrust such as is produced when the shaft is driven by a belt or by gearing. Moreover, by so mounting the rotor directly on the sleeve it is possible to obtain a higher speed of rotation than with the use of belts or gearing,"and further such higher speed of rotation can be secured with a minimum of vibration and wear on the bearings. The increased speed of rotation which it is possible to impart to the rotary sleeves by my improvements over that which is practical where the sleeves is driven with belts or gears results in a better and more complete straightening of the wire and an increased output.

While I have referredL above to the use of an electric motor yet the invention is not necessarily limited to an electric motor as any appropriate rotary motor might be used whether the motive power is steam, gas or any other fluid, in which the rotorelement can be mounted directly on the sleeve to be rotated.

In these rotary wire-straightening machines it is customary to rotate the two sleeves l and 2 in opposite directions and in this device, therefore, the motor 17 will be designed to rotate the sleeve 1 in one direction while the motor 18 will be designed to rotate the sleeve 2 in the opposite direction I claim:

1. A wire straightener comprising a rotary sleeve through which the wire to be straightened passes in an axial direction, wire-deflecting blocks carried by said sleeve, and bearings to support said sleeve, a rotary motor for rotating the sleeve, said motor comprising a rotor element mounted directly on and rigid with said sleeve and a stator element secured to the hearing, said leeve constituting a shaft for the motor.

2. A wire straightener comprising two axially-aligned rotary sleeves through which the wire to be straightened passes, bearings for said sleeves, wire-deflecting blocks carried by each sleeve, and a rotary motor for rotating each sleeve, each motor comprising a rotor element and a stator element, the rotor element of each motor being mounted directly on the sleeve which it rotates and the stator element being secured to the bearing for the sleeve, each sleeve constituting a shaft for its motor.

3. A wire straightener comprising a rotary sleeve having an axial bore through which the wire to be straightened passes, said sleeve having a slot extending transversely therethrough, a pair of wire-deflecting blocks in said slot, one block having a concave wireengaging face and the other a complemental convex wire-engaging face, bearings to support said sleeve and a rotary motor for rotating the sleeve, said motor comprising a rotor element mounted directly on and rigid with the sleeve and a stator element secured to the bearing, whereby the sleeve constitutes a shaft for its motor.

4-. A wire straightener comprising a rotary sleeve having an axial bore through which the wire to be straightened passes, bearings to support said sleeve, wire-deflecting blocks carried by said sleeve, a rotary motor for ro- 

